Culture

After only a short year of existence, Dunedin trio Idiot Prayer are set to add their considerable sonic weight to the cities musical landscape. Comprising effortlessly punishing drummer Sam Brookland, bassman David ‘Local’ Ager and vocalist/frontman Tim ‘Tiddy’ Smith, the group’s boundary pushing, expansive post rock noise is certainly a sound to behold. In preparation for the unveiling of their debut EP Falconer and their subsequent national tour, Sam Valentine exchange emails with Mr. Ager to find out about the groups labour of love.
First off, how are things in Idiot Prayer land?
 
 
Our land is reasonably fertile at the moment. There are some pretty sweet shows coming up (including the tour and Feastock) and I think we're all pretty stoked with the EP as a whole. It does feel like we're kinda restarting again this year after having to put things on hold for the second half of last year while Tim [Idiot Prayer front man] was overseas, but signs have been positive. 
 
 
Next week, you'll be releasing your debut EP 'Falconer' through a joint effort by [Auckland Independent label] Muzai and [the Dunedin based vinyl only] Monkey Killer Records. Talk me through your EP development process from recording to production
 

The recording was a relatively short process, over the course of two separate weekends in April and June of 2010. Something like sixteen songs were recorded with Rob Falconer (better known as the drumming dynamo from Operation Rolling Thunder) and he mixed the songs we thought would make a cool set into a cohesive EP. Damn he's made a sweet job too. The actual process of doing a physical release is generally a long one, mainly for reasons of maintaining sonic integrity. So that's taken quite a while too...a year after the first recording session we'll have something to hold that we're pretty proud of.
 

Dave, obviously as the owner of Monkey Killer Records, your love for vinyl is greater than most. How much will it mean when you get to hold those first few pressings for yourself? 
 
The whole package is going to be pretty damned sweet. If you're going to have a labour of love like a record label, then the opportunity to release something you've been involved in so personally is like a labour of...lust? No, that's not right. A labour of passion? No, that doesn't sound right either. Anyway, it'll feel like a shitload of money sitting in yet another box of records in my cupboard that I kinda wish I could get back, but will be extra proud to have had a hand in creating. 
 
 
Describe the sound of your EP to someone who has never heard you before? 
 

Shellac vs High Dependency Unit. 
 

As a band, what do you expect to achieve from your North Island shows?
 

I'd hope that we get a few interested people to the shows, and hopefully sell some of the CDs Muzai is getting made for us. We really can't expect much, being a Dunedin band on our first out of town trip.
 
The state of Dunedin music is in...?
 

Dunedin music is in such a good state in terms of quality of bands and potential. As well as that we have a really good swag of the other things required to make a scene work; amazing sound engineers; lighting engineers; photographers; and good bastards who help people out due to pure enthusiasm. With better access to national exposure Dunedin would be so sweet right now.  
 
Footnote: Idiot Prayer begin their national tour Wednesday 31st March at Re:Fuel with support from John White and Thundercub.